Synthesis of Bismuth Ferrite Nanoparticles via a Wet Chemical Route at Low Temperature

Nanoparticles (NPs) of multiferroic bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) with narrow size distributions were synthesized via a wet chemical route using bismuth nitrate and iron nitrate as starting materials and excess tartaric acid and citric acid as chelating agent, respectively, followed by thermal treatment. It was found that BiFeO3 NPs crystallized at ∼350 degree C when using citric acid as chelating agent. Such crystallization temperature is much lower than that of conventional chemical process in which other types of chelating agent are used. BiFeO3 NPs with different sizes distributions show obvious ferromagnetic properties, and the magnetization is increased with reducing the particle size.